Finland

Finland falls into the top group internationally (rank 2) with regard to vertical accountability.

Finland’s electoral process is free and fair. The registration process for candidates and political parties is transparent. Party and candidate finances must be accurately recorded and disclosed. The State Accounting Office monitors these activities. All adult citizens have the right to vote.

The country has an impartial electoral management body that is adequately staffed and sufficiently funded to administer elections fairly. Voting processes, including absentee and early voting, are straightforward and nondiscriminatory, with no reported incidents of harassment or irregularities. Electronic voting was tested in 2008, but has not been implemented since.

Coalition governments often involve parties from both the left and right. Political polarization is relatively low. Public access to government information is largely unrestricted with the exception of certain sensitive documents, such as those related to foreign affairs, criminal investigations or national security.

Finland falls into the top group internationally (rank 4) in the category of vertical accountability.

Media freedom is supported by both the public and political discourse, with no censorship of digital, print or broadcast media. The media landscape is pluralistic, with a variety of outlets. The state broadcaster is considered unbiased, and private broadcasters operate freely without government interference.

Citizens can freely form or join independent political and civic groups, and political liberties are broadly respected. Employers’ and employees’ organizations are regularly consulted during policymaking, although the corporatist system of previous decades has declined.

The primary umbrella organization for social welfare organizations is regularly consulted by the government. Environmental organizations are also involved in policymaking, though tensions often arise between their views and those of key national resource industries.

Finland places within the top group internationally (rank 2) with respect to horizontal accountability.

The independent National Audit Office of Finland audits central government finances, monitors fiscal policy, and oversees political party and election campaign funding. Two separate independent data protection authorities effectively advocate for privacy and data protection issues.

Courts are free from influence by the government or other powerful entities. The judiciary ensures that the government, administration and legislature operate in accordance with the constitution and the law. Civil rights and political liberties are respected and strongly protected.

Corruption levels are extremely low due to strict state spending audits, regulations on party financing, legal frameworks criminalizing bribery and widespread public access to information. The parliament has sufficient powers and resources to exercise oversight of government activities.

Finland is the SGI 2024’s top scorer (rank 1) with regard to coordination.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sufficient capacity and resources to evaluate policy proposals from line ministries and ensure alignment with government priorities. The office regularly provides assessments of draft bills for the head of government.

Line ministries involve the PMO in policy preparation through ministry committees and working groups. Each ministry is responsible for preparing issues within its mandate. Ministers regularly meet informally to prepare for broader government sessions.

In 2023, Finland shifted responsibility for public healthcare, social welfare and rescue services from municipalities to 21 well-being services counties. Municipalities remain responsible for education and city planning. Intergovernmental power dynamics are hierarchical, with subnational entities dependent on central government funding.

Finland is the SGI 2024’s top scorer (rank 1) with respect to consensus-building.

The government consults experts primarily through informal channels and closed working groups. Though formal bodies like ad hoc committees and science panels exist, the comprehensive evaluation of scientific evidence rarely begins early enough to shape decisions.

Business and labor organizations play a strong role in the decision-making process thanks to a deeply rooted tripartite policy preparation system. This process is not fully transparent to outsiders. Social welfare and environmental organizations participate more sporadically, with limited impact on policy decisions.

The government is proactive in publishing data and information that enable citizens to hold it accountable.

In the category of sensemaking, Finland falls into the top group internationally (rank 2).

The Prime Minister’s Office contains a dedicated central government unit for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation. This unit autonomously explores ideas and scenarios, provides tools and guidance, coordinates and monitors activities, offers training and coaching, and organizes events.

Regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) are not legally mandated but are routinely carried out. These assessments utilize multiple indicator sets, consult various interests and employ different techniques. While sustainability aspects are considered, there is no legal requirement for long-term analyses.

RIAs tend to be written to facilitate the passage of a bill, and rarely lead to significant changes in the proposed laws. There is no systematic strategy for the ex post evaluation of regulations, but some government research institutes carry them out on a case-by-case basis.

Finland falls into the top group internationally (rank 2) in the category of economic sustainability.

Finland was first country to create a national circular economy road map, but the think tank-produced document is not binding. The country is a leader in promoting critical infrastructure resilience, with efforts led by sectoral ministries and public-private partnerships.

The country’s binding climate targets are among the most ambitious globally. Employment rates are high, though unemployment persists in some demographic groups. The state allocates significant resources to active labor market policies, with reforms underway to enhance their impact.

Tax rates are high due to the comprehensive public healthcare, social security and education systems. However, the public broadly supports this tradeoff. The corporate tax rate is relatively low compared to other Nordic countries. Debt levels have climbed in recent years. While Finland was once a leader in R&D spending, its position has declined due to economic challenges.

Finland falls into the top group internationally (rank 4) in the area of economic sustainability.

Education system responsibilities are shared between central and local authorities. Schools have rigorous standards and well-trained teachers, and students’ test scores are high. Disparities in student performance by gender and region have increased in recent years.

The welfare state ensures universal social protection and high well-being. Social assistance guarantees a minimum income, and high-quality healthcare is accessible to all residents. Migrant integration has presented challenges, and right-wing political forces have periodically incited anti-immigrant sentiment.

Gender equality is considered a strength, but a significant gender pay gap persists. Employment rates among women are high, but childcare responsibilities still fall largely to women. Pensions provide sufficient incomes for all recipients to meet basic needs.

Finland places within the top group internationally (rank 3) with regard to environmental sustainability.

Finland has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. A Climate Change Act sets emissions reduction targets of 60% by 2030, 80% by 2040 and at least 90% by 2050 relative to 1990 levels. Estimates indicate that the 2030 target is feasible.

A swift phaseout of fossil fuels in the electricity and heat production sectors is anticipated in the coming years, potentially surpassing initial expectations. However, some recent decisions, such as making gasoline more affordable, have contradicted climate goals.

A new National Biodiversity Strategy aims to halt biodiversity decline by 2030 and reverse it by 2035. Climate change is one of five key focus areas within the country’s development aid programs.